Local Goa News

Monday, June 13, 2016

Now, space tech to check illegal mining

PANAJI: Taking a tough stand against illegal mining, the Union ministry of mines has decided the use of space technology from Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to monitor mining activities. The state government has been directed to submit data related to non-working mines, major-mineral mines and lease boundaries of minor-mineral mines in the vicinity of the major-mineral leases.
The central mines ministry is working closely with Isro to develop applications to prevent illegal mining. "To make this path-breaking plan a success, close collaboration with state agencies is essential", states the minutes of the meeting of mining ministers of all state governments held in Jaipur.
Through minimum human intervention, the technology will access the remotest of area and automatically detect illegal mining if any within 500-metres of the earmarked boundary. Mining surveillance system (MSS) is being implemented for major minerals.
Goa has around 100 working mining leases and 349 non-working mines.
The state government has also been directed to depute one mining officer to Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Application and Geo-informatics (BISAG), Gandhinagar, to check the accuracy of geo-referencing of leases.
In yet another decisive move, the ministry of mines has decided to accord starred status to leases depending upon their performance in safeguarding the environment and forests. The rating system could be used in granting faster clearances from various regulatory bodies. At the mines minister's meeting, the state was asked to implement star rating for mining companies, and the state in turn will ask lease holders to implement stated conditions.
A star rating on a scale of 1 to 5 will be awarded to leases depending on their efforts and initiatives taken while implementing the Sustainable Development Framework (SDF).
The best performing leases will be given five stars. The rating scheme is designed to have a built-in compliance mechanism for environment and forest safeguards and will help in recognizing good performers in the sector while encouraging all mining leaseholders to strive for excellence, a ministry notification, a copy of which is with TOI, stated.